It’s been half a century since the Beach Boys started mixing together cheery sounding, complex harmonies with visions of summer and a bit of teen angst. Their early songs, most written by leader Brian Wilson, sometimes along with his cousin Mike Love, were regulars on top-10 charts, first hitting number 1 with “I Get Around” in 1964.

Ed Symkus

It’s been half a century since the Beach Boys started mixing together cheery sounding, complex harmonies with visions of summer and a bit of teen angst. Their early songs, most written by leader Brian Wilson, sometimes along with his cousin Mike Love, were regulars on top-10 charts, first hitting number 1 with “I Get Around” in 1964.

The band has certainly struggled over the years. Of the three founding Wilson brothers, only Brian survives. Dennis drowned in 1983, and Carl succumbed to cancer in 1998. Brian, battling drug abuse, depression and other disorders, stopped most of his touring with the band in the mid-1960s. Ensuing years saw legal battles among different Beach Boys over songs and money.

But rough patches have been smoothed, a new album — “That’s Why God Made the Radio” — has just been released, and a nearly original lineup of the band performs on tour: Brian Wilson, Mike Love, Al Jardine, Bruce Johnston, who initially replaced Wilson onstage in the ’60s, and David Marks, who played guitar with the Beach Boys on their first few albums.

Reached by phone at his California home last week, Brian Wilson, 70, spoke about the band, the music, and his own contributions as a producer. He sounded tired, and his answers were brief and to the point, but he did laugh once.

Oh, yeah, we do “Heroes and Villains” every night. And we’ll be doing the new one, “That’s Why God Made the Radio.”

I’ve read that you wrote your very first song, “Surfer Girl,” by yourself, in only an hour, and “God Only Knows,” with Tony Asher, in about half an hour. Does that kind of thing still happen?

Those were special occasions. That doesn’t happen very often.

Are songs difficult to write?

Songs come easy when you’re inspired. So I have to stay inspired.

What about “That’s Why God Made the Radio?” The lyrics and the harmonies sound like it could have been a Beach Boys song back in the ’60s.

My collaborator Joe Thomas and I wrote that. I’ve been working with Joe for about 14 years. We wrote the music and lyrics together.

In a book on the history of rock, what song would be next to your name?

“California Girls.” That sums it up.

That’s a song that’s recognizable right from the opening notes. Have you always tried to create songs that immediately grab the listener?

Sometimes I’ll think of the title first, but mostly I think about the chord pattern. Then I put a melody to that, then I put words to that. And I think a song grows on people, like if they’ve heard it three or four times and then they start to like it.

Have you, either with the Beach Boys, or during your solo days, finished a song at a studio session, and just knew that you nailed it?

Yeah, the night we finished “Good Vibrations,” Carl said, “Brian, this is gonna be a number one record.” I said, “Really?” And they all said, “Number one.” And it went to number one!

Is it true that you’ve never had any musical training?

I had a music appreciation course in high school, but I only learned one song (laughs). I can’t remember what it was, but I can say that I’m a self-taught musician, that I’m a self-taught piano player.

You became a producer at a very young age. How did that come about?

I was about 21 when that happened, and I’m a self-taught producer, too.

You’ve said over the years that Phil Spector was a big inspiration for you as a producer. What did you pick up from him?

Everything. They way he handled sound, energy, positivity ... all those are things I learned from him. He also gave me a way to mix instruments to get good sounds. I learned to mix vocals into it pretty much on my own.

Let’s go back to “California Girls.” You’re driving down the road, and it comes on the radio. What do you do?

Sometimes I turn it off and sometimes I turn it up. It depends on my mood. But I do feel real proud of it.

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